After 20 years with the Badgers, Head Coach Jeff Sauer is retiring from his position as men's hockey coach. Sauer's retirement as coach will take place after the 2001-'02 hockey season.
In a Jan. 9 press conference, Sauer, the winningest coach in Badger history, announced his retirement. However, he said he plans on continuing with the UW Athletics Department.
\I am not resigning from the University of Wisconsin ... I'm retiring from coaching hockey at the university,"" Sauer said.
Sauer said he should ""give somebody else an opportunity to run a tremendous program like this.""
Sauer's coaching career has spanned four decades. During his 31 years of coaching, Sauer has become the all-time leader in Western Collegiate Hockey Association victories. He is also the fourth-winningest coach in college hockey history.
Before coming to the UW, Sauer was head coach at Colorado College. There he spent 11 years and had a career record of 166-226-11.
In 1982, Sauer came to Wisconsin and led the Badgers to a NCAA National Championship title that season.
Since the national title in 1982-'83, Sauer coached the Badgers to another National Championship title in 1990 and a Frozen Four appearance in 1992. Sauer also led Wisconsin to WCHA regular season titles in 1990 and 2000, in addition to WCHA playoff crowns in 1983, 1988, 1990, 1995 and 1998.
In addition to coaching for the Badgers, Sauer is involved in hockey both nationally and internationally.
In 2000, Sauer received the JOFA/USA Hockey Distinguished Achievement Award for his contributions to the sport both on and off the ice.
Sauer's colleagues said they will miss his contributions to college hockey.
""College hockey has lost a voice and a leader'and that hurts,"" Mike Sertich, Men's Hockey Head Coach at Michigan Tech said. ""College hockey won't be the same without him.""
The 2001-'02 season so far has been up and down for Sauer's Badgers. UW started the season with a split against Wayne State.
After splitting a series with the North Dakota Fighting Sioux Oct. 26-27, the Badgers lost three of its next four games, including a tie against Colorado College.
Wisconsin faced long-time rival University of Minnesota at the Kohl Center Jan. 11-12, splitting the two-game series. The two-game series was the first after Sauer's retirement announcement.
In the first game, Wisconsin won the border battle, 8-3, ending the a four-game winless streak. Contributing to the victory against the Golden Gophers were three players with two goals each.
Seniors center Matt Murray and left winger Andy Wheeler brought their season goal totals to four and seven, respectively. Each had a short-handed goal. Freshman center Alex Leavitt also scored twice, giving him eight for the year.
Junior goaltender Scott Kabotoff made 50 saves, marking his 500th save of the season.
In the second game of the series, the Badgers suffered a tough loss to the Golden Gophers, 6-2. After scoring the first goal of the game early in the first period, the Badgers did not see their second goal until late in the third period.
Seniors left wing Matt Hussey and center Kent Davyduke netted the only goals. Kabotoff made 24 saves before being replaced in the middle of the third period by freshman Bernd Bruckler.
This brings the Badgers to a 7-6-1 in the WCHA and 9-11-2 overall. Sauer's record is 482-298-44 at Wisconsin and 648-524-55 overall.
